I stayed at "Rest Pal," a business hotel in Minamisoma that offers great value for money and allows you to interact with cats! [Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture]

Rest Pal, a business hotel located in Haramachi, Minamisoma City, in the Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture, is a budget-friendly hotel where you can stay for 3,300 to 4,950 yen per person per night with two meals included (tax included, as of the end of March 2026)

The hotel is known as a delightful place for cat lovers, as guests are greeted and seen off by the cats the hotel takes care of, and if you're lucky, you might even be allowed to pet them

I stayed in a twin room at this business hotel, which is conveniently located along National Route 6, easily accessible by car, and offers great value with two meals included

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What kind of hotel is Rest Pal?

The hotel is located on a hill northeast of JR Haranomachi Station in Haramachi Ward, Minamisoma City, and can be accessed directly from National Route 6

The hotel was located in this spot even before the Great East Japan Earthquake. Back then, there was only the building that now houses the front desk and restaurant, and apparently there were only about 20 guest rooms

After the earthquake, prefabricated accommodations were added to house workers involved in reconstruction, and now there are a total of 219 rooms (213 singles, 4 twins, and 2 doubles)

There is also an annex called "Rest Pal Virgo" located about 1km away, which has 152 single rooms only, and both hotels have a large free parking lot that can accommodate even large trucks

Pricing for Restpal Main Building and Annex Virgo (as of the end of March 2026)

Restpal Main Building offers four types of single rooms, A, B, C, and D, differing in room size and amenities.
The accommodation rates (including tax) for one night with two meals, including double and twin rooms, are as follows as of the end of March 2026.

• Single A: 4,950 yen
• Single B: 4,400 yen
• Single C: 3,850 yen
• Single D: 3,300 yen
• Double room: 6,600 yen (for 1-2 people)
• Twin room: 6,930 yen (1-2 people)

Additionally, the annex, Restpal Virgo, offers two types of accommodations: Single A, which is a company-dormitory-style building, and Single B, which is a container-type building

• Single A: 3,850 yen
• Single B: 3,300 yen

These accommodation rates do not vary by season or day of the week, but there may be slight differences depending on the booking site

In addition, we also offer "monthly hotel rates" for long-term stays without meals included; please refer to our official website for details

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I stayed in one of the only four precious twin rooms

The twin room was located on the first floor, right next to the front desk. I expected to be bothered by the comings and goings of other guests and their voices because of its proximity to the front desk, but it was surprisingly quiet

Since it was a hotel that served as a workers' dormitory, there were no "non-smoking" rooms, but I didn't notice any cigarette smell in the twin room where I stayed

I had added a comment when making the reservation asking for odor control measures to be taken, and it seems they did take those measures properly

The spacious room can be divided in half and contains two comfortable single beds

The spacious area had a large desk where you could work on a computer, and a compact dining table with two chairs

This table is perfect for enjoying a drink at a leisurely pace after dinner

Sufficient facilities and equipment

The room is equipped with a TV, telephone, desk lamp, refrigerator, electric kettle, and hairdryer, and towels (bath towels and hand towels), yukata (Japanese robe), and slippers are also provided

Humidifiers, trouser presses, and irons are available for rent at the front desk

The clean bathroom is equipped with rinse-in shampoo, body wash, face wash, toothbrush set, razor, and comb

Although there were comments online saying that "the Wi-Fi is free throughout the building but the connection is weak," I had absolutely no complaints when I was doing research on my laptop

In addition, there are vending machines for drinks inside the hotel, and there are two convenience stores across the street and next to the hotel, so you won't have any trouble buying drinks

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Dinner and breakfast at Rest Pal, an extremely cost-effective hotel

Rest Pal's appeal lies in the fact that it offers a single or twin room for 3,300 yen per person per night (tax included), and includes dinner and breakfast

Let me tell you in detail what kind of meals you can enjoy at this price

A dinner with plenty of dishes and unlimited rice refills

Dinner is a daily set meal. You take your ticket to the restaurant, hand it to the staff, and they will show you to your seat

Once you're seated, you go to the designated area to get your own drinks, soup (various types of soup and miso soup), and small side dishes such as salad

Eventually, a tray with rice and side dishes is brought and placed in front of you, marking the start of dinner

Several side dishes were prepared, and on this particular day, there was "sweet and sour chicken" instead of sweet and sour pork, as well as tempura and stir-fried dishes with carrots made from "sprout garlic" grown by a local company. There was a sufficient variety and quantity of dishes

Please note that for rice refills, you need to bring your empty bowl to the kitchen, hand it to a staff member, and they will refill it for you

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What kind of garlic is "sprout garlic"?

This garlic is grown hydroponically by Utsumi Electric, a local electronic circuit board manufacturing company in Minamisoma, as a side business, and the roots and sprouts are edible whole

When I saw the side dishes for dinner, I thought there was a lot of garlic, but the texture was fluffy and the aroma was just right, so I enjoyed every dish

Furthermore, there was "Sprite Garlic Powder" on the table, which was like a sprinkle of garlic powder from an electronics store, allowing us to enjoy changing the flavor of our side dishes

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All-you-can-eat soup bar and drink bar

The soup bar offers homemade miso soup and consommé, as well as machine-made corn chowder, onion soup, and clam chowder

Not only is the soup unlimited, but drinks like cola, Calpis, orange juice, and coffee are also available in unlimited quantities

A breakfast menu that is sufficient for a morning energy boost

Breakfast is a self-service buffet style where you hand over your ticket and then freely choose your rice and side dishes to eat

In addition to several kinds of simmered dishes served on small plates, there are also raw eggs, natto (fermented soybeans), tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), seaweed, 2-3 kinds of grilled fish, and sausages available

Please note that the soup bar and drink bar are also available for unlimited consumption during breakfast

Cute cats that are friendly and welcoming

The black and white spotted cats living in the hotel's entrance are probably siblings, and they sleep curled up together in a cat bed

When we were checking out, they let us into the area in front of the reception desk, so we were able to pet it. It was very friendly and incredibly cute

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Business Hotel Rest Pal <Information>

• Facility name: Business Hotel Rest Pal
• Location: 239-5 Shimokitakohiradoshimo, Haramachi-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0244-25-2907
• URL:Business Hotel Rest Pal Official Website

Google Map

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Business Hotel Rest Pal Virgo (Annex)

• Facility name: Business Hotel Rest Pal Virgo
• Location: 127-1 Kawakotakizawa, Kashima-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0244-46-1191
• URL:Business Hotel Rest Pal Virgo Official Website

Google Map

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summary

Given the rising cost of living, hotels offering single rooms for under 5,000 yen without meals are rare, so a room with two delicious meals included for 3,300 yen (as of March 30, 2016) is an absolute bargain

This hotel is recommended for those who want to stay in a comfortable room and eat a good meal even on a budget trip, or for those who want to save money on hotels and use the money saved to splurge on something else

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